The Battle Team
by Jexo
Summary: Welcome to the life of a certain Pokemon Battling Team, a group of six, each as different as can be. Watch as they try to reach the #1 rank in the world of battling. All while they each have their own goals and problems to contend with. Can they do it? Can they even put aside their differences to try? OC's Wanted.
1. Welcome To The Team!

"You broke school property, disrespected a teacher, and were reported to have said some things that quite frankly I'd feel uncomfortable to repeat." The Principal listed from behind his desk, his aged green eyes moving from the paper for the first time since the teen in question had been sent in. "What am I going to do with you?"

The teen in question only shrugged in response, his facial expression genuinely uncaring as he returned the Principal's stern gaze with one of boredom. "You can give me some money and say have a nice life." He offered, a hand instinctively moving to attempt to straighten his unkempt brown hair.

The Principal's gaze relaxed as he let out a defeated sigh, "As tempting as that is, my conscience wouldn't let me sleep unless I do something to keep you out of trouble, not put you more into it Parker." He stood up, letting the teen see that the man wasn't very tall even when compared to his average height. The Principal turned his back to Parker as he moved to gaze out of the window, looking over the school's campus as if in thought. "Do you know what this school is about?"

Parker was surprised by the sudden question, but even if he wasn't, he realized he wouldn't have had an answer. "Can't say I do. Least not a serious answer anyway."

"This school is about helping kids reach their potential, whether it be as a scientist or a trainer. It's not surprising that you don't know, seeing as your the student I feel I've helped the least when it comes to reaching potential, but no matter what I do it just doesn't seem to work." The Principal explained, his voice surprisingly calm for someone speaking so openly of their failure.

"Maybe it's not your fault, maybe I just don't have the same potential that everyone else does," Parker replied, his brown eyes watching the Principal with curiosity.

"Have you ever looked closely at the photographs that line my wall? I'm sure you have with how many times you've been sent in here, but I don't think you've noticed that those men in suits aren't the Principals that came before me, but the students that have come before you."

"So a few students actually reached this potential that you speak of, so what?" Parker questioned, annoyance sneaking into his voice as he stare at the back of the Principal's head, expecting him to turn around and scold him, but to his surprise he made no such motion, leaving Parker to stare at his gray hair as he answered.

"Those students were just like you, they were so convinced that they didn't have potential, so convinced that their existence was without meaning, that they ended up acting recklessly. I know from past experiences that you do in fact have potential, it sometimes just takes a little longer to find." The Principal explained, his tone hopeful.

It was true that Parker had been in the Principal's office many times, each time hearing a long winded speech that he would end up only half paying attention to as he would look at the photographs of men in suits, often thinking to himself how each of them would be handling the school, but that was when he thought they were old Principals. He gazed at the pictures with renewed curiosity upon learning they were in fact students, clearly not pictures of them while they were students, but the prospect in itself of these successful men having been in the same position as him was interesting.

Parker was about to ask about their stories, but a knock on the door interrupted him. "Come in," The Principal stated, still not turning from the window.

A rather intimidating man entered, his height being a few inches taller than Parker and his build definitely heavier than Parker's own lanky figure. His blue eyes looked over Parker and the Principal with curiosity as he closed the door behind him, but he decided against asking, instead opting to bring attention to the papers he carried.

"I have the scrimmage schedule for the Battle Team Principal Bridgewater." The man explained as he placed the papers on the desk. The Principal didn't say anything right away, and the man was halfway to the door when he finally did.

"Coach Stevens, do you still only have five people?"

"Yeah," the coach replied as a turned to face the Principal's back, a hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously at what he was planning, "I'm sure I'll find a sixth person to round out the team soon though."

"No need. I have found one for you." Parker didn't like where he felt the conversation was heading.

"Really? Who?"

"The young man right next to you." Yep, he was right. He definitely didn't like where the conversation had been going.

"I'm not a team player. You don't want me," Parker stated to the coach who seemed to be sizing him up.

"You have a Pokemon right? I'm not seeing six empty pokeballs on that belt of yours right?" Parker nodded. "Then I want you on the team. I expect to see you in room 202 after school. Principal Bridgewater, new kid." The coach bid farewell before he left, his mood noticeably better than when he had entered, leaving Parker and the Principal in suffocating silence.

* * *

"God damn," Parker muttered to himself as he stirred his tomato soup, the rest of his lunch yet to be touched, "now I have to go to this club. Probably won't be anyone interesting even in this thing."

"Girl, I didn't like him. He took me to McDonald's for our date? Can you believe that?" A female voice loudly questioned. Her voice managing to be louder to Parker than the constant blend of voices from the rest of the cafeteria. It annoyed him, both for its volume, and the way it intruded its thoughts.

"I'm tryna think!" Parker yelled as he grabbed a handful of carrots from his tray and threw it in the direction of the voice. He was disappointed to see that he had missed, and hit someone sitting nearby who only turned in both fear and surprise before glaring at Parker who tried to tell him it was an accident. It, however, didn't matter, as the students around had seen it as the start of a food fight. Within seconds the cafeteria had grown even louder than before as student's yelled in both defeat and triumph as they threw the remnants of their lunches at each other. "Shit, that didn't go well," Parker muttered as he ducked behind the table that another student had been kind enough to flip.

"You should have tried to arc it, not power through the distance." A new voice timidly added. Parker turned to see the source of the voice being a boy with glasses and long black hair, his green eyes eying Parker with worry.

"Who are you? And what about an arc?" Parker questioned.

"Grayson, and I'm saying to throw it higher and let gravity do the work of taking it farther, instead of using raw power to push through."

Parker gestured with his hands to show he was weighing his options as he stated, "Strange kid telling me how to do things, but he does have a sweater vest so he must be smart."

"You don't have to listen to me," Grayson told him.

"Thank you for the approval of me not doing your shit." Parker grabbed the carrots off the nearest upturned tray, peering over the defensive shield that was the lunch table for his target. "Here goes!" He exclaimed aloud as he cocked back his arm, intent to throw it at the girl from before, but due to the table she had been sitting at being upturned as well, he'd have to use Grayson's idea to even hope of hitting her even with his most powerful throw.

He watched with anxiousness as the carrot went into the air, reaching its peak near the center of the cafeteria, before it started traveling back down. It was with great pride that Parker watched his handiwork not only make it farther than before, but make it to its destination. The loud obnoxious yell from the voice that annoyed him filled him with even greater pride – he'd hit his target.

"It worked! Thanks, uh, Grayden."

"Grayson." He corrected.

"Whatever." Parker shrugged.

"Who threw that carrot?" The girl's loud voice yelled. "I will personally turn their life into a living hell." Parker had peered over the table to see the girl's angry expression, mainly to laugh at it, but was surprised when he discovered that the food fight had completely halted as every person in the cafeteria seemed to be pointing towards him while the girl walked towards him, her anger easy to see in her narrowed green eyes.

"You threw that carrot?" She asked upon reaching the table, Parker now standing up to face her as the threat of being hit by food had been taken away. "I will turn your life into hell."

"I'm not ready for a relationship," Parker quipped, putting on a goofy smile.

"Don't try to use charm if your not attractive." Her words were filled with venom. "Is he your friend Grayson?" Her tone noticeably friendlier when addressing him – only a slight chill being sent down Parker's spine by her tone – he doubted she even had the potential for a friendly voice.

"Not really." Grayson shrugged, barely paying either of them any attention as he stared at the food amassed on the floor.

"Well damn Gravy. I thought we were cool!"

"How could you really pronounce my name any worse?" Grayson questioned, still not turning to look at either of them.

"I could say it with a series of noises and not wor-"

"ENOUGH!" The girl yelled , silencing not only Parker, but the murmurs that were traveling around the cafeteria. "I don't want to hear your petty squabble."

"Then leave. Me and Grayhen were having a perfectly good conversation without you."

"By that he means he was talking, and I wasn't listening." Parker could see the anger reach the breaking point as she opened her mouth to say something. However, the insult that was most likely coming towards them, was cut off by one of her friends.

"Come on Shanelle, don't waste your time with them." It seemed to work, because she nodded and walked away. "They're not worth the effort."

"I think that went well." Parker stated happily. "Don't you?"

"I think you got off pretty easy. Shanelle has a way with words that could make soldiers cry." Grayson explained as he stood up, dusting himself off.

"I can take her, I'm an athlete. Sixth member of the school's battling team at your service! Name's Parker." Parker introduced with a mock salute for added effect.

"Oh, this is going to be funny then." Parker gave Grayson a confused look and he elaborated, his expression revealing that he was holding back a laugh. "I'm on it too."

"Nice. So how you know Shanelle. Don't tell me you go out with that attention whore."

"Nah, wait for it," Grayson paused a second before he continued, "she's on the team too." Grayson could have died laughing at the face Parker made when he had heard. "Good luck Piper."

* * *

It had been a long day for Parker. A day, in truth, he would rather have done without. Sure, he'd found a semi-friend in Grayson, but he'd made a very annoying enemy out of Shanelle. Both of which he would be forced to see each day both in school, and out. The final bell had rung, and many students had been filled with jubilant energy at the prospect of school having ended for the day. Parker, however, was filled with dread.

He had been slightly hoping that security would have told him to go to Principal's office again about the food fight, but it was as if the Principal had waved it off in awareness of what awaited him. However, once he found himself standing in front of the room he had told to report too, he knew it wasn't going to happen. He did find joy in the shock that he could get from Shanelle finding out she'd have to see him everyday, but it would only be a hollow victory.

A victory – hollow or not – is still a victory though.

"What the fu-"

"Parker. Glad you showed up." Coach Stevens greeted, purposely cutting off Shanelle's anger infused swearing. "Get familiar with the others. We'll begin in a moment." Parker nodded and looked over the practically empty classroom. The only new person in the room was a muscular boy with blond spiked hair who was talking on his phone rather loudly about a football game that had aired on television earlier that week. Where were the other two?

"Where are Jason and Circe?" Coach questioned as if reading Parker's mind.

"Jason was chasing some skirt to the movies," Shanelle said. The coach only shaking his head as he muttered under his breath.

"Circe wasn't here today." Grayson added.

"We have our first scrimmage in a week! We can't have players not show up to practice! In other school's they have tons of people fighting for the spots you all have been so lucky to have reserved."

"We don't have them reserved. We don't have competition. If you haven't noticed yet Coach, the school doesn't have students that care about competitive battling for the school. They all got recruited into that snotty prep school at the other side of the city." Shanelle explained.

"Yeah, but Saffron is a big city, you'd think someone would be interested," Coach said, his tone slightly defeated.

"Not big enough if you ask me. Those snotty pricks always be tryna start something with me." The only one in the room Parker didn't know by name added. Parker noticing how alike his and the Coach's haircuts are after having turned from one to look at the other. It was weird.

"Now, now, Brick." Coach gestured for him to calm down. "We'll have time for that later. Now why don't we introduce ourselves to each other?"

"It's fine. I know everyone's name well enough," Parker replied, trying his best to avoid the dreaded self introduction.

"What's my name then?" Grayson questioned. Parker had to resist the urge to curse out loud.

"Graybin?"

"Not even close."

"Grayson why don't you start us off? Name and battling style."

"Okay, my name is Grayson, and I battle with a more defensive style." Grayson introduced himself, standing up in his seat while he spoke.

"Brick, attacking is my thing. If you ain't strong, don't bother battling me." He introduced, not even bothering to stand up.

"Shanelle, I use grace and make my opponents look foolish while I devastate them." Parker was surprised by the amount of confidence she held in herself.

"Parker, and I just battle." Parker introduced plainly.

"Well that's no good. We need a feel for your style if we are to succeed in our season. I propose a practice battle!"

"I'll battle him." Shanelle offered, the wickedness in her smile revealing her ulterior motive.

Within minutes the group found themselves at the practice field, Shanelle and Parker each standing at a different end as they faced each other with determined expressions. Each of them gripping their enlarged pokeballs in anticipation.

"Are we ready?" Coach asked as he stepped to the middle of the field, ready to act as referee.

"Uh, what exactly are the rules for a Battling Team? Do I have to do anything special or can I just battle?"

"Oh that's right, I suppose I did ask you if you even know how a battling team works. Well it's simple, teams of six face each other. The battle types are far too various to explain to you in detail, but the general idea is that before each match a type of battle will be decided, and each member of each team gets a chance to battle, and let's say its an elimination match – the team with the last usable Pokemon wins. Understand?"

"Not at all. You suck at explaining."

"Look, as the player, all you have to do is win. Let me worry about the rest, you'll eventually understand." Parker didn't like the explanation he had been given, but as long as all he had to was win, he didn't feel the need to question it. "You two can begin."

"Let's teach this delinquent something Togekiss," Shanelle said as she released her pokemon in the usual flash of blinding white light which took shape into the white winged creature Parker saw before him. The red and blue triangles on its stomach the only reason it seemed to fit Shanelle – the red and blue on the pokemon matching the shade of red and blue found streaked in her black hair.

"Come on out Infernape!" Parker exclaimed as he tossed his own pokeball into the air, releasing an orange and white furred monkey with fire brimming off of its head in a flash of white just like Shanelle's, its eyes filled with even more determination to win than its trainers.

"Togekiss use Attract!" Parker didn't like how it had started. He hadn't even been able to issue an order to dodge before the heart Togekiss created had impacted Infernape, filling its mind with the feelings of a love it didn't really feel to the point that it even looked like its pupils had been replaced with hearts. "Aerial Ace!"

"Dodge! Flamethrower! Something!" Parker commanded, unsure of what order would get through if any. Infernape, however, hadn't moved an inch. Its mind set on Togekiss to the point of paralysis as the pokemon in question moved towards it at speeds untraceable to the human eye, knocking Infernape to the ground before Parker could even register his pokemon had been hit.

"This new kid sucks," Brick said as he watched the battle follow the pattern of Infernape being struck by an attack, only to get up and be struck by another one, "she's kicking the crap out of him."

"I believe she did the same to you in your first battle with her." Coach reminded him, causing him to look away in anger as the memory replayed in his mind.

"You see now that you can't win right? Any random person could see that." Shanelle smirked, Togekiss reappearing beside her from its latest attack. "The smart one's anyway." She explained as Infernape struggled to its feet again.

"Nah, I don't believe that I can't win until the battle's over." Infernape's flame began to burn brighter as it grew it both size and intensity. Shanelle took a step back to lessen the heat she felt from the raging flame while Parker only smiled – he'd been waiting for that.

"What's up with your Infernape?" Shanelle asked, clearly confused at how it could have gotten stronger all of a sudden.

"It looks like Blaze has been activated." Coach noted with a smile. "If Parker is to make a comeback, now would be the time."

"Infernape! You have to listen to me here okay! Snap out of it, we can't let her win like this!" Infernape seemed to be affected by the words because it started to shake its head vigorously, as if the influence of Togekiss' attract would lessen with each shake.

"It's too little too late to do anything now. Togekiss use Aerial Ace!" The pokemon vanished for what seemed the thousandth time that battle as it moved to deliver the finishing blow. Parker, however, was confident that he could stop it.

"Flamethrower!" To both his and Shanelle's surprise, the command got through to it. The creature unleashing a powerful jet of flames from its mouth that not only impressed the spectators, but stopped the Aerial Ace as Togekiss appeared in the air above it.

"She couldn't get close because of the intensity of the flames." Shanelle reasoned, gritting her teeth before opening her mouth to emit another command, however, Parker cut her off.

"Flamethrower the ground!" The command caught Shanelle by surprise as she watched the pokemon propel itself above Togekiss in the air effortlessly with its powerful flames, Parker having to step to the side to avoid catching his pants leg on fire with the streams traveling along the ground.

"Togekiss Shadow Ball!" Shanelle commanded, ordering the first attack that came to her head in the panic of things.

"Close Combat!" Parker looked on proudly as he watched Infernape use gravity to its advantage to fall on top of Togekiss before it could even ready the shadow ball – the incomplete ball of dark energy just dissipating into nothingness upon Togekiss being hit – the two creatures falling to the ground at a fast pace as Infernape continuously hit Togekiss with a fluid barrage of punches until the last possible moment where it jumped off Togekiss, sending it into the ground while Infernape landed softly before Parker.

It didn't take Coach's official declaration for all of them to know he had won.

Nor did it require Parker to prove himself with that battle to get onto the team, whether any of them liked it or not, he was there to stay.

"Good work today Picker." Grayson congratulated as the two combatants returned their pokemon in a pencil thin beam of red light. "Who knew you'd actually be smart enough to play to the type advantage."

"Thanks Graylin. I couldn't have done it without your devoted silence."

"I try."

"You have a smart mouth. You know that? I like it. You got some balls. Let's hope someone else doesn't break 'em."

"Enough you two, we have a whole practice to get too. Two laps around the school!" Coach clapped, ushering them to run.

It was going to a long, but interesting season.

* * *

AN: Another new story, but I got inspired after reading a fic pretty much about a battle team. I decided to do mine a little smaller, and differently I hope because I haven't read it in a while so I probably can't even give you the accurate fic title that inspired this... mediocre-ness.

You ever have that story that you go, "This is a little too good for me to be writing, I might screw it up." That's this. I'm a little out of practice after not having written a single thing for a couple months, but I suppose i'll get back into the swing of things. I've just been busy with RL, and when not busy with that busy with planning and fine tuning the stories that i'm sure many of you are actually wanting to see updated. They will be.

Anyway, I used Parker here as a way to introduce the characters and plot to you, since its introduced to him as well, but this story will actually shift between all six of them evenly, so Parker isn't _The _main character.

As you know, I may need a few OC's for the opponents they'll face in the other battle teams, so heres a simple OC format to follow if you wish to help me out. PM them please. Make it a surprise for the readers.

Name:

Age:

Pokemon:

Battling Style:

General Appearance:

Easy right? I'll add it a few things here and there if I feel like it. I definitely could have done better with the whole last half of this chapter but no matter how I wrote it, it just didn't feel... right. So I stuck with the version that came out the most right feeling. Again, I am out of practice... if such a thing is possible. Anyway, Later.


	2. Field Trip

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

* * *

Parker found himself caught in the crowd of students for the third time that day, pushed to his class against his own will. He would have been able to prevent the crowd from swallowing him, but he kept finding that the bell would ring and startle the students into a frenzy before he would be able to slip into the bathroom and wait it out.

"Ridiculous," he grumbled as he walked into his classroom. The room was far from spectacular, a feeling he shared with the subject he was supposed to be learning inside of said room. The white walls that he found to be cleverly decorated in practically every other classroom in the school were still intact and uncovered. Giving the room a feeling of dread that he personally attributed to most of the students falling asleep when they were supposed to be learning. "Sup Mr. Hayes." Parker greeted as he walked by. The thin – almost frail – teacher nodded back his own greeting as he shuffled through papers that were laid messily upon his desk.

"Hey ladies, which of you hasn't seen Slaking Kong on DVD?" A voice asked. Parker wouldn't have paid it much attention, but it was a new voice – a new voice whose owner happened to be in his favorite seat.

"Who're you?" Parker asked, slightly annoyed at the new kid. He looked to be the same age as Parker, but he had long blond hair – which the only girl in the class Parker would ever consider having hit on was currently playing with with great interest. His blue eyes shifted from the many girls in the room to Parker, a look of annoyance lasting for only a second before it became overshadowed with a look of recognition.

"Ah, Parker. It is Parker isn't it?" He asked, an eye brow raised in question which made all the girls swoon.

"No, I'm Parker. Your name is what I'm trying to figure out."

"There is a time for jokes, and then wasn't it. My name though is Jason."

"I find that the time for jokes is all the time Jason. I take it you're the womanizing member of the Battle Team I didn't quite meet yet?" Parker asked, trying to figure out just what this Jason wanted with him.

"I'm not a womanizer, I'm an appreciator. You are right though, I am the Jason from the Battle Team, and your questioning tells me I've found the right Parker. Not that this school has more than one to begin with." Jason explained as he stood up, letting Parker see that he was maybe an inch or two taller than him. "Come on, we gotta go." Jason walked past Parker towards the door.

"Where?" Parker asked as he ran to catch up Jason as he stood before the teacher's desk holding up a note as he explained something.

"Come on, Parker. Good-bye ladies," Jason stated confidently as he walked out of the door. The late bell ringing as they reached the hallway. Parker walking a couple paces behind Jason, unsure of where they were going. Opening his mouth to ask but he was interrupted by the answer. "We're going to collect the rest of the team. That is what you were going to ask isn't it?" Jason asked as he looked back at him, a friendly yet cocky smile on his face.

"Show off," Parker grumbled. Jason  
stopping at the nearby classroom, peeking his head in with the note in one hand as if it were his FBI badge. The noises of girl's swooning soon filling the air. The familiar sight of Grayson exiting the classroom greeting him soon after. "Sup Grayhole."

"Sup Packer." Jason seemed confused at the exchange for a moment but seemed to shrug it off since it didn't seem to be bothering either of them.

"So these little gathers frequent?" Parker asked Grayson, hoping to get a positive answer so he could look forward to missing class more.

"Not really, just before scrimmages. That's a couple days away though, so he must have something rather tricky in mind that might take us a while to learn." Grayson explained. Both of them lagging behind Jason as he got Shanelle out of class next. Grayson nodding his head in reply to her friendly greeting. Parker, however, flipped her off upon her request for his sudden death.

"I might get to meet that Circe girl today right?" Parker asked. Shanelle scoffing.

"Doubt it. She wasn't at school today." Parker didn't know whether the angry way she said it was directed at him or at a similar feeling for Circe. "I'm worried though, she isn't usually absent for so long," she said, her voice softening considerably.

Yep, defiantly anger directed at him.

"Yo, 'sup guys!" The voice of Brick exclaimed happily as he entered the hallway from his class. Everybody nodding in response.

"Okay, that's everyone that's at school today. I'm concerned too though about Circe. Shanelle is right, a couple days at a time is normal for her, but a whole week is something I find suspicious," Jason stated upon reconnecting with the group, having finished collecting all the members from their various classes.

"What are you thinking of doing?" Shanelle questions upon seeing his eyes distant, as if in thought.

"Field trip."

"Count me out," Grayson replied, "I'm going to the room with coach. Better than going all the way to wherever her house is only for her to tell you guys she was sick."

"Okay, one for not going. How 'bout y'all?" Jason asked, turning his attentions to Parker, Brick, and Shanelle.

"I'll go. I wanna see who this Circe is." Parker answered.

"I just don't wanna be in class, so ya got me." Brick chimed in.

"She'll need someone normal to talk to when we get there." Shanelle added.

The group of four quickly leaving the school, speculation passing between them about what has been keeping Circe out of school. Some had their eye brows up in thoughtful surprise, while others had them shaking their heads as they muttered curses at Parker for having had such a stupid story.

"A legendary pokemon would not be found crashing into the street in front of her house asking for shelter as it heals and not go unnoticed," Shanelle said, poking holes in Parker's theory with ease, "you'd be more successful playing the lottery than having that happen."

The scenery had slowly converted from that of Saffron's suburbs, to more of a downtown area with skyscrapers tall enough to pierce heaven surrounding them on all sides, blocking not only the view of the streets around them, but from the sun's blinding rays. "That snotty prep school is around here isn't it? Where all the rich people live?"

"Yeah. I guess you guys wouldn't know but Circe comes from a wealthy family," Jason stated, leading them past the Silph building indicating they were in the heart of downtown, "she was actually supposed to go to that snotty prep school but she opted out of it from what she told me. I don't know why, it was a hassle to get her to tell me that much."

"Wow," Shanelle replied, "never know what to expect from people. How did you get her to open up?"

"I became her friend, back in middle school we would hang out all the time. When I had just moved here, not knowing a soul and lacking the good looks and sharp dressing skills I have now, she decided to become my first friend. So I would help her out if she told me about her life a little more, but I have been having about as much luck as you guys."

"Your luck has gotten a lot worse too," a new voice added, turning to see who had spoken the five saw a group of seven, the leader having spoken from upon the concrete wall he sat on – the wall to the prep school. "What do we owe this unexpected delivery of you bitches?"

"They're that Battle Team from that school across the city. I remember some of those faces from last year." The one leaned against the concrete wall added. His black hair almost ragged as it fell to the back of his neck, a dragon fang earring on his right ear giving him an intimidating look, despite the prep school blazer he wore. His blue eyes seemed to be scanning the five, stopping when they fell on Parker. "You're new. I don't remember having battled you last year. Hopefully you'll prove to be more challenging."

"Bitches aren't ever challenging Aimen." The leader joked before the crew – aside from Aimen – laughed.

Jason and Parker had to physically restrain Brick from leaping at the group. "What's the deal with that Aimen guy?" Parker asked, struggling to keep Brick from breaking free.

"He's on the school's battle team, thoroughly whooped us last year. Not a bad guy, just a serious one. I look forward to beating him and evening the score between us." Jason explained with a slick smile.

"I am curious as to what you can do, new kid," Aimen stated, walking back towards the school, hands still buried in his pockets, "I look forward to the scrimmage Friday."

"Aimen is gone whoop your ass's again this year," the leader announced cockily, "I'll be watching with glee. That member that isn't with you, Circe, I believe, is rather blessed in the looks department as well. I'll definitely have to pay her a visit -"

He never got to finish his rant, because Jason and Parker exchanged a look with each other before they both released Brick, each muttering, "whoops" very sarcastically as they watched with glee as he ran at the group of six. Brick was upon the closest of them within seconds, his fist quickly rammed into the poor guys jaw before he could even move to defend himself. The other four on the ground were dispatched with the same ease. It was almost sad to watch for Parker, a bunch of talkative preppies being knocked to the ground defenseless.

It was clear that they only held the advantage in conversation.

"Get away from the wall before I get down there and make you." The leader threatened. Brick just glaring at him since he was unable to reach him.

"Judging from the rest of your little gang, I'd say you'd end up on the ground either way." Jason countered. Looking back to Parker before he added, "now that was the time for a joke." Parker rolling his eyes in response.

"Funny," the leader of the gang replied, his voice filled sarcasm. "I'm not the same as my friends though."

"If that's true I would get some new friends. They holding you back." Parker explained.

"It would seem so." He answered, standing on the wall, his cocky smile back as he observed the five, "or rather I just handle you myself." He finished, jumping from the wall to land gracefully on the ground. Brick smirking as he cocked back his fist to deliver what he had expected to be the finishing blow, but Parker and Jason knew it was creating an opening he'd been looking for.

"No!" Jason and Parker tried to warn Brick, but it was too late. The punch had been thrown and the preppy had effortlessly dodged it before throwing a punch that hit Brick in the face, knocking him to the ground with power that was surprising from his frame.

"Boxing, seven years." He explained.

"Street fighting, whole life." Parker countered as he began to walk up towards his opponent. He could tell Jason was following up behind him but he stopped and looked back at him, "you and Shanelle get to Circe's house. This is something I want to do, and I don't know how much time it'll take."

Jason seemed to struggle with the idea, but after a few moments he reluctantly nodded, and he and Shanelle continued on. Parker turning his attention back to the annoying preppy in front of him.

"Admirable to let them go on ahead of you. It would have been anyway, if you could have backed up that tough talk, but you'll find I'm no slouch!" He gave Parker a quick punch. Parker had expected it though and moved just enough for it to graze his cheek, greatly reducing the damage he would have taken from the attack. Launching a quick jab of his own he found his opponent was not only strong, but fast, dodging the hit completely and launching a counter within seconds.

"Not bad," Parker replied, rubbing his chest tenderly. "I'm used to taking hits though." The preppy only urged him forward with a smirk. Parker rushed at him, fighting through the pain he felt with a fist in his bicep to get a shot off that he couldn't dodge or block.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two to find Circe's neighborhood. It had been maybe a couple minutes since leaving Parker and Brick to fight the preppy and the two found themselves already standing in front of a large front door. Jason gripped the golden door knocker on its center and let it fall twice, sending the knocking sound throughout the house.

"Yes?" A girl a lot shorter than Jason answered, her dirty blond hair cut low, her brown eyes widened in surprise of seeing Jason and Shanelle standing there. The bags under her eyes telling them she'd been having trouble sleeping, but they didn't know if it was related to her missing school or not so they didn't move to question her on it. "This is about school isn't it?"

"Yeah. Also about the upcoming scrimmage and your lack of showing up to practice."

"Why does it matter so much? I'm a straight A student even with my absences?" She questioned, clearly annoyed.

"Yeah that's true," Jason replied, "but that doesn't fix the fact that the team needs you at practice. You are the captain after all."

"We all know it was never a title I wanted."

"Doesn't make you any less deserving. I've seen you battle, long before you were on the team. You bring out the potential of unevolved pokemon so skillfully how could we have not made you the captain?"

"You can command respect from your pokemon, some of which are species not known to be so orderly, and Shanelle can take out people with grace I've never been able to possess. Either of you two could have been the captain just as easily."

"That isn't the point." Shanelle pointed out. "Why haven't you been going to school? We are your friends, you don't have to shut us out."

"I'm not shutting you out, I just have nothing going on." Circe answered, Shanelle and Jason exchanging a look that told each other that they knew it was a lie. "I've just been sick."

"Well we hope you feel better. You have to be at practice tomorrow though, we got a sixth member now, and -"

"He's an asshole." Shanelle completed for him.

"He's interesting. Beat Shanelle when they battled," Jason said, earning a surprised looked from Circe, "the scrimmage is day after tomorrow, so you have to show up." It was more of a plead then a tell.

"Okay, I'll be there." They could tell she hadn't been planning on coming to school the next day, but she relented before bidding them both farewell and closing the door.

"She's hiding something." Shanelle brought up as they walked away.

"When it gets beyond what she can handle, she'll let us help her. Have faith."

"Well its probably best it was us that came to see her, if any of the others had been here she would've been too shy to say anything." Shanelle joked, but they both knew it was true.

"We better hurry up. Parker and Brick might need our help. Not that I'm dressed for it." Jason gestured to his white dress shirt and plain black tie.

* * *

Circe had closed the door, patiently waiting for her friends to walk out of earshot. She had in fact heard everything Jason had said about telling them when whatever she was dealing with become more than she could handle.

"I want to tell you guys. Really I do... I just can't put you at risk like that. The point to help me had been passed too long ago." She waited till her two closest friends weren't near in range to hear her, before she fell to the floor in front of her door and cried.

* * *

"You've been pretty good. I've broken a sweat." The preppy declared as he wiped a bit of blood from his lip. The two fighters both a couple steps apart, each recovering from their most recent lunge. Both of them watching the other one carefully for any sudden moves as they recovered their breath. They were each fairly beaten up, Parker managing to get most of his hits by fighting through the pain when his opponent struck him to get a hit off instead of blocking it.

"You're not bad either, but the styles we use are too different for you to win," Parker stated as he lunged for the preppy again. Fighting through the pain of being hit in the cheek to headbutt him, causing his opponent to stagger back drunkenly. Not giving him any time to recover he rushed at him and grabbed the back of his head and led him into his knee, causing him to scream out in pain, waking up his unconscious gang. His opponent managing to throw one last anger infused punch, but weakened from the fight it lacked its previous speed, letting Parker evade it and fall to the ground, sweeping his opponents feet from under him.

"What the fuck?" The preppy questioned as he held his head in pain. Parker standing over him with a victorious smirk. The gang all reaching their feet proclaiming Parker to be a monster.

Parker had hoped they'd still try to attack him to avenge their leader, but they each had turned and ran with speed he hadn't seen them defend with against Brick back towards the school. He was disappointed, wanting to put his adrenaline rush to more use, but seeing Brick begin to come around he figured it was the better result.

"Shit... I lost." Brick complained as he struggled back to his feet, his legs almost buckling and dropping him but Parker managed to put his arm around him to act as a brace.

"Easy there, big guy. I'd say you did your part taking out so many of those assholes."

"He took me out with one fucking punch man. One punch." He groaned, his free hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That was a powerful punch, if I had gotten hit where you did I would have lost too."

"Yeah, cheer up Brick," Jason stated, alerting the two of them to their return, "it won't be the last run in we have with them anyway."

"Guess your right, Aimen is going to be tougher than last year. He isn't the type to sit back and relax when training is an option," Brick told them.

"We haven't been sitting on our asses either. We'll win. I don't know about you guys but I'm through being on the bottom, this year, our graduation year, we're getting that first place championship." Jason's eyes were determined. More determined than any of them had seen them before, to be honest, it had inspired Parker. _Maybe this team will be good after all_.

* * *

Authors Note: I'm back. Decided to update this story first though, I'm currently working on the other ones. No telling how long they will take though since I'm a creature of whim unfortunately. OC's still welcome, see the form in the first chapter.

OC's are open for another story I'm doing too. Yearbook: memories in the rain. You know me, terrible at introductory chapters, so don't put too much judgement into that first chapter. I just needed a way to introduce it is all. Anyway, read, review, favorite, follow, suggest to friends, do any of that lol.

Later.


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